Ball presenting and impelling machine



Get. 28, 1930. B. HAYNES 1,779,540

BALL PRESENTING AND IMPELLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 28, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l "'"llIIIIll/AHJvIlll1111llllzllllllllll/lll/lll/ 4711111111IllIlIl1Ill/11111111111111111111 lim l l 1l/,f1 f/II/l/I//III/ vu unn- /1 TTU/CNE l C. 28, 1930. 5 HAYNES 1,779,540

BALL PRESENTING AND IMPELLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 28, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 /N VENTOK Oct. 28, 1930. B. HAYNEs 1,779,540

BALL PRESENTING AND IMPELLING MACHINE Filed Aug. ze, 192e s sneefs-sheet 3 Tra/wf Y Patented Oct. 28, 1930 PATENT OFFICE BRYCE HAYNES, oF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BALL PRESENTING AN D IMPELLING NACHI-NE Application led August 28, 1926. Serial No. 132,059.

This invention relates to a machine for 1ndoor golf, more particularly it relates to a machine by which the path of travel of arolling ball can be observedand for returning the same to predetermined position.

In the construction .of balls used in various games, particularly in golf, it is customary to provide a core composed of a sphere of rubber or other suitable material and usually though not necessarily weighted. Over this core there is placed an intermediate layer of material which can be winding ofthread of such a material as rubber. A cover is secured in position to constitute the outside layer of the ball. As balls of this type have previously been constructed, it has been difficult to. insure that the lcore is' accurately placed in the center of the-ball and to insure that lit remains so during use. It is essential that the core be accurately positioned because of the desirability when the ball is rolled upon a surface of its following a straight course, particularly in putting. Also in devices for the indoor practice of golf, it has been necessary to collect the balls by hand after they have been driven and to placethem upon a tee manually. 'f

'It is an object of this invention to provide a means for testing balls to ascertain if the core contained therein is in the geometric center of the ball and substantially spherical in form.

Another object is to provide means for automatically presenting a b all in position to be driven. f 1

A lfurther object is to provide a means whereby a ball driven from its position on a support can be automatically returned to the same position upon the support.-.

tractive golf ball display and advertising'dev1ce. f

Other objects will be apparent from the accompanying speciication and drawings, in

which latter:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View ofia-'golf ball testing and display apparatus.

Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6 showing the ball A still further object is to provide an atview on line 8-8 of Fig. 2 and showing the ball support. v

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a vertical'tra'nsverse sectional view 55 support in its upper position.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the device showing the position of the operafing cam prior to the impact stroke of the c u Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view on a larger scale illustrating more clearly the ball elevating mechanism. l

Fig. 8 is a vertical transverse sectional view 65 on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7. i

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary View similar to Fig. 6 showing the cam in section and in a different position.

Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of the operating cam per se.

. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention and in which the presentation and support of the ball is governed by the impelling operation, whether accomplished mechanically or by a person in the act of putting or the like, with which a person may practice putting, etc.

Fig. 12 is afragmentary vertical sectional view through the modified form of Fig. 11, and showing the elevating mechanism.

'i Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the end of the ball-supporting tube.

Fig. 14 is a top plan View thereof.

Fig. 15 is a broken sectional view of Fig. 14 85 through a contact piece.

Fig. 16 is a wiring diagram showing ballsupport in its lowermost position.

Fig. 17 is a similar view showing the ballsupport in its uppermostposition. 90

Referring particularly to the drawings, the device comprises a platform mounted upon any convenient surface and composed of sides 1 anda floor or runway 2. Carried at one side of the runway 2 is a screen 3, a portion of which is painted to represent the lower part of the -figure of a man and projecting from the screen is a golf club 4, in the present instance of the type known as aputter, which is adapted to oscillate back and forth upon a pivot in a manner simulating the putting,

golf. The surfa eV stroke of a person playing of the runway 2 represents the green of a golf course and the hole 5 at one end thereof a cup. A golf ball 6 mounted upon a supporting tube or tee 7 extending through a hole 8 in the runway is adapted to be struck by the oscillating golf club and knocked in the directioirlof the hole 5. Upon falling either through the hole 5 or the openings 9 which are positioned at the sides of the runway the ball drops into an inclined trough 10 which carries the ball back to a position from which it can be again elevated through the hole 8.

The operation of elevating a ball 6 at intervals from the runway 10 to a position to be struck by the golf club is accomplished through the following mechanism. Mounted rotatably Within the platform upon standards 11 isa shaft 12 carrying rigidly secured thereto a gear wheel 13. The gear meshes with and is driven by a worm 14 directly mounted upon the-driving shaft 15 of an electric motor 16. The shaft 12 carries rigidly secured to one end thereof a crank arm 17 provided with a roller 18 mounted for rotation upon an offset of the crank arm. This crank arm and roller are rotated in clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 7. A pair of standards 19 Vpositioned within the platform carry pivoted between them on shaft 20 a lever 21. The free end of this lever is enlarged at 22 and the lower surface of the enlargement is curved and is adapted to be carried by the roller 18 during the upper portion of travel of the crank arm 17. A spring 23 normally presses downwardly upon the lever 21 and a stop 24 limits downward movement of the lever. A crank shaped rod 25 (see Figs. 5 and 8) is rotatably secured at one end on the thickened portion 22 of lever 21 and rotatably fastened at its other end to the base of the supporting cylinder 7. By this train of connections pivotal movement of the lever 21 causes vertical up and down movement of the supporting cylinder 7 in the sleeve 46. The range of positions through which the supporting cylinder 7 is adapted to pass is that shown in Figs. 3 and 7 and varies from the position in which its upper or ball carrying end lies just beneath the floor of the trough to a position in which this end presents the ball just above the surface of the ioor 2. The amount of curvature of the thickened portion 22 of the lever 21 corresponds to that of the circumference of a circle having a radius equal to the length of the crank arm 17. By reason of this fact the lever 21 with the supporting cylinder 7 secured thereto are both held in uppermost position for a prolonged period of time.

The operation of swinging the golf club 4 to strike the ball 6 is accomplished through the combination of elements about to be described. A supporting frame 27 extends upwardly rigidly from Hoor 2 and carries mounted for rotation thereon shaft 28, one end 29 of which is bent to form a support for the handle of a golf club 4. The handle is secured thereto by wrapping of twine 48 or by any other suitable means. A `bar 30 is rigidly fixed to one end of the shaft 28. The frame 27 carriesalso a shaft 31 mounted for rotation thereinwhich has rigidly fixed thereto a sprocket lwheel 32 and a cam 33. The driving connection for the shaft 31 is through a chain 34 which passes over sprocket 32 and over a sprocket 35 rigidly mounted on shaft `12. Driving means for shaft 12 has been previously described. Swinging movement of the club is caused by engagement of the cam 33 with the bar 30. The cam consists of two triangularly shaped plates 36 and 37 which are rigidly affixed to two pieces 38 and 39. The cam is provided with a hole indicated by reference numeral 40 by which the cam is secured to the shaft 31. This hole is placed in ofl'centered position. The cam is assembled upon the shaft 31 in the position illustrated in Figs. 6 and 9 and is rotated in clockwise direction so that the bar 30 is engaged by piece 38, then swings freely between the plates, is then engaged by piece 39, swings freely between the plates, and repeats the operation. Beginning the operation with the cam in a position shown in Fig. 6, namely with the end 40 of the piece 39 just passing the bar 30, the golf club is allowed to swing from its furthermost position downwardly during which stroke it strikes the ball and follows through by its momentum to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6. Meanwhile the cam is continuously rotated and the end 41 of the piece 38 moves into engagement with the bar 30 and presses it back through a'shorter arc than was caused by the end 4() of the piece 39. The bar 30 slides along the curved outer surface of the piece 38 and in following this surface swings slightly toward the vertical position and then outwardly again. The cam having continued its rotation, the bar is released as the end 42 of piece 38 passes beyond it. This permits the bar to swing downwardly to a vertical position. The golf club passes through the same movements as the bar with the head of the club swinging in a wider arc ldue to its increased distance from its pivotal point. This movement simulates the customary swinging of the club by a person when putting in order to judge distance and direction. As the cam rotates further, the end 43 of piece 39 presses the bar 30 outwardly a short distance and then the end 40 of piece 39 is brought into engagement with the bar pressing it outwardly to the maximum portion of its swing. y

The trough 10 which carries the balls back to a position in which they drop into a centering depression 44 is narrowed at 45 to slightly more than the width of a golf ball so that the balls will be positively conducted to their position at the top of cylinder 7 in their proper sequence. A retaining wall 46 is mounted at the end of the runway to stop the balls and its inner surface is preferably curved as indicated at 47 to direct the balls rebounding therefrom towards the openings 9. y

In operation of the device a plurality of balls are assembled in the inclined trough 10 and due to the narrow portion of the trough are presented in a single row to the depression 44 where they settle upon cylinder 7. The cylinder is then elevated vert-ically from the position shown in Fig. 3 by engagement of roller 18 with lever 21 and it carries a ball upwardly with it until the ball is passed through the opening 8 to a point above the runway 2. At the time the ball is passed through the opening 8 he golf club is swinging rearwardly to its f illest extent. During this operation the piece 39 of the cam is pressing the bar 30 upwardly. As the end 4() of piece 39 rotates past the bar 30, the bar swings downwardly between the plates 36 and 37. As soon as the club has struck the ball the roller 18 passes beyond the thickened portion 22 of the lever 2-1 and the pressure of spring 23 forces the same downwardly carrying the cylindrical tube 7 with it. During the passage of the roller 18 around to a'position to again elevate the lever 21 with attached cylinder 7, the cam is rotating through the successive stages in which ends 41 and 42 and the surface of the piece 38 engage the bar 30 and in which the bar 3() lies between the plates 36 and 37 and also during engagement of the end 43 of the piece 39 therewith. Vhen the cylinder reaches its lowermost position the next ball drops into the depression above the cylinder and the operation is repeated.

,Other means than those described above obviously may be used for presenting the balls for the act of impelling them in the cycle of operation just described. An eX- ample of such alternative means is disclosed in Figs. 11 to 17 inclusive, as will be apparent therefrom. According to this modification, the balls are raised successively into position and each one held there until impelled from the supportwhereupon the succeeding ball is immediately lifted into position. The cycle of this operation is dependent upon the act of impelling the ball4 from the support but at the same time the cycle is independent of whether the impelling stroke is accomplished by mechanical means or by other agency such as a practicing golfer.

Thus, in case it is not desired to have an automatic device for striking the balls, the golfclub with the elements which operate it can be omitted. The parts of the machine remaining can vbe adapted for use by a per# son in practicing golf. Such a machine is illustrated in Figs. 11-17 inclusive. I In the-v tion where it receives a golf ball upon its U cup shaped end and is again' raised to itsv upper position. v

The apparatus. as modified comprises a supporting cylinder or tube 7 driven from the motor 16 by the same elements as previously described. Means are provided for automatically connecting and disconnecting the motor from its source of power. This is accomplished by two electric circuits connected to the motor andv with a source of' electrical energy.

One circuit known as circuit A is completed through the following elements: Attached to the motor 16 is a wire 50 which extends through the tubular support 7 to a post 51 mounted von an insulating cup 52 made of fibre or any other suitable insulating material. This cup is firmly secured within the uppermost portion of the tube 7. A spring contact piece 53 leads therefrom eX- tending outwardly from the tube 7 through a slot 54. This contact piece 53 is adapted to make a sliding or wiping contact with a metal strip 55 fastened to the trough 10-parallel to the direction of travel ,of the tube 7. Strip 55 is connected by wire 56 through switch 57 to a source of electric energy and then to the other pole of the motor 16. The device -is so arranged that when the electric current passes through this circuit the motor is driving the tube 7 upwardly.

The other circuit known as circuit B is formed by wire 58 which leads from the wire 50 to a post 59 mounted upon the cup 52. A Contact member 60 is connected to this post. A wire 61 leads from the Wire 56 to a post 62 mounted on the cup 52. A flat spring member 63 is attached to the post and normally presses a bearing point carried thereby against the contact member 60 thereby completing the circuit. The circuit is broken by means of al plunger 64 made of fibre or any other insulating material which plunger is normally pressed upwardly above the cup 52 but which is pressed downwardly by the weight of a golf ball placed thereon.l With a golf ball in position the contact between contact piece 60 and spring member 63 is broken. The operation of the machine is so timed thatwhen this circuit is closed the tube 7 is being moved through its downward path.

Other means can be arranged equally well tube reaches its top posit-ion aty which point the Contact piece 53 has moved above the strip 55 and the circuitbroken. The movement of piece 53 above strip 55 is caused by the momentum ofthe machinery and also by the spring-like action of piece 53. Breakage of the circuit stops the motor and the tube 7 remains in elevated position until the ball is removed therefrom.

When the ball is driven ofll the tube 7 the spring 63 is raised closing the circuit B whereby the motor is again actuated and the tube is lowered to a point Where it will receive another golf ball. By the weight of the golf ball circuit B is again broken. Meanwhile circuit A has been again closed by the lowering of the tube 7 through contact of parts. 55 and 53, and the motor continues operating to drive the tube 7 upwardly with the golf ball thereon until circuit A is broken at the upper position of the tube. At this position both circuits are broken and the motor is stopped. This completes the cycle of travel of the tube 7 which cycle `is repeated as often as the ball is removed from the tube.

By the device described a mechanism has been provided by which balls can be tested to ascertain if their center is properly posltioncd. The direction of the blow of the club on the surface of the runway is such that a perfect ball will be driven directly toward the cup, will travel in a straight line thereto and will drop into the cup. A ball the center of gravity of which does not correspond with its geometric center will be driven directly toward the cup but will curve o to one side, miss the cup and fall through the openings 9 into the trough. The speed of the ball and the distance between the tee and the cup are so regulated as tofpermit of this deviation of the ball. The side openings may be dispensed with or not as desired and a straight line can be marked upon the runway so that the path of travel of the ball can be'compared therewith. t v

With the golf club actuating mechanism omitted and utilizing only the trough and ball elevating mechanism the device is excellently adapted for practice or for use in golf schools. The balls upon being struck either dro through the hole or hit the back stop and all into the trough and then run tee and, after having driven one ball, anr other ball will be immediately presented in position to be struck.

The device shown in Figs. l to lOcannot only be used for testing purposes but it can also be used for display to illustrate the difference in action between perfect and imperfect balls. When used for display the perfect balls may be painted one color and the imperfect ones in contrasting colors. The device shown in Figs. 1l to 17 is of course not limited to use for instruction or practice in putting, but may be used with other clubs. In such case any of the usual devices, such as a cloth or net, may be used for stopping the ball in its flight after being .hit, and the runway may be modified to return the balls to the ball elevating or presenting device as before.

While the invention has been described specifically as applied to the use of a golf ball, it is obvious that it can be modified so as to use any type of round ball. If a larger ball is used obviously larger openings to receive the ball throughout the machine can be used. Instead of a golf club any rod with a striking surface Will be suitable. The runway may be covered with felt or any other suitable material, if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire'to protect by Letters Patent is 1. A golf ball testing machine comprising a golf ball support, a runway, a ball receiving opening on said runway, a longitudinally extending ball receiving opening at each side of said runway, means for returning to the support a ball falling either in the opening or off the side of the runway, and means for striking a ball on said support.

2. A golf ball testing machine comprising an intermittently movable vertically reciprocatedsupport for a golf ball, means for supporting and swinging a golf club in alignment with the support, a runway, a ball receiving opening on said runway, and means for returning a ball from' said opening to said support. p

3. A golf ball testing machine comprising a golf ball support, means for supporting and port a ball falling either in the opening or off the side of the runway.

4. A golf ball testing machine comprising a runway, a movable golf ball support, means for moving the latter topresent a ball and to support the same in stationary position substantially flush with the runway, means for striking the ball, a ball receiving opening on the runway spaced from the support, a longitudinally extending ball receiving opening at each side of said runway, and means for returning to the support a ball falling either in the opening or otf the side of the runway.

5. A golf ball testing machine comprising a runway, means for swinging a golf club over rthe runway, means for presenting a golf ball to the runway in the path of the club head, a ball receiving opening in the runway, alongitudinally extending ball receiving opening at each side of said runway, and means for returning to said presenting means a ball falling either in the opening or oft' the side of the runway.

6. A golf ball testing machine comprising a runway, means toA place a series of balls successively in the saine stationary position, means for accurately impelling a ball on said runway, and means for receiving the balls which follow a straight path and separate means for receiving the balls which follow n an erratic path.

7 A golf ball testing machine comprising a runway, means for presenting a ball to the runway in stationary position, means for impelling the ball longitudinally of the runway, and means for receiving the ball at the end of a straight path and separate means for receiving the ball at the end of an erratic path.

8. A golf ball testing and display machine comprising .a runway, a club pivotally suspended over said runway with its head in position to swing adjacent the runway, a ball 'support movable from below the runway to a position to present a ball to the club, a driven ball receiving opening in the runway spaced from the support, means for returning any driven ball to the support when the latter is in lowered position, means for intermittently raising and lowering the support, and means for idly swinging the club while the support is lowered and for imparting a lengthened effective stroking swing to the `club when the support is raised.

9. A devicev of the class described, comprising a runway, a ball receiving opening in .said runway, a ball presenting opening 1n said runway, a ball support, means for returning a ball from the receiving opening to the support, means for moving the support. to bring a ball above the runway, ball striking means, and means for giving the latter a succession of dissimilar movements.

10. A device of the class described, comprising a runway, a ball receiving opening in said runway, a ball presenting opening in said runway, a hall support, means for returning a ball from the receiving openingto the support, means for moving the support to bring a ball above the runway, ball striking means, and a rotary plural-faced cam operating the ball striking means.

12. A device of the class described, comprising a runway, a ball receiving opening` in said runway, a ball presenting opening in said runway, a ball support, means for returning a ball from the receiving opening to the support, means for moving the support to bring a ball above the runway, ball striking means, and means for giving the latter a succession of dissimilar movements in timed relation to the movement of the ball support.

prising a runway, a ball receiving opening in 

